The invention concerns an apparatus for separating surface layers in products of the food industry, comprising a transport element for transporting the products from an input region to an output region, wherein the transport element is guided at least in the output region round a substantially cylindrical deflecting element, a pressure element for pressing the products against the transport element, and a separating element for separating the surface layer from the product, wherein the separating element is arranged in the output region of the transport element, forming a separating gap between the separating element and the transport element. Furthermore the invention concerns a method for removing surface layers in products of the food industry, comprising the steps of: transporting the product to be treated by means of a transport element from an input region to an output region, delivering the product to a separating gap which is formed between a separating element located in the output region and the transport element, pressing the product to be treated by means of a pressure element against the transport element during the separating operation, and separating a surface layer by means of the separating element arranged in the output region of the transport element.
Such apparatuses and methods are used in the food industry and in particular in the fish-processing industry. By the example of processing fish, this means e.g. that the skin and/or the fat layer underneath is separated from the fillet. Separation of the skin and/or fat layer from the fillet can take place in one separating cut or in several separating cuts one after the other. In this case the separating elements for separating the surface layer usually run rectilinearly. This means that between the separating element and the transport element, or the deflecting element which is located in the region of the separating element and serves so to speak as a cutting support, a separating gap which remains constant across the full width of the transport element is formed. As a result, the surface layer to be separated has the same thickness across the full width. In particular for fish processing, however, for purposes of improving yield it is necessary to produce a cutting depth which is variable across the width. For example, salmon has a thicker fat layer in the region of the backbone than in regions which are remote from the backbone. Also, the thickness and width of the fat layer varies in the longitudinal direction of the fillet.
It has proved difficult, however, to construct or control the separating element in such a way that a cutting depth which is variable across the width can be obtained. Efforts were therefore made to adapt the transport element or elements lying underneath it accordingly. European Patent document EP 1 365 655 B1 discloses for example an apparatus in which a conveyor belt serves as a supporting surface for the products. This conveyor belt is allocated an adjustable support with an adjustable profile transverse to the direction of transport of the products. The support is located below the conveyor belt and comprises elements that can be raised and lowered and which are arranged side by side transversely to the direction of transport to produce the profile which forms a process gap. However, this apparatus has the drawback that it needs high expenditure on control. Further, the structural design is very complex and therefore cost-intensive.